Nissan Qashqai +2 Review: The Qashqai with 2 Extra Seats

Nissan Qashqai +2 Review: The Qashqai with 2 Extra Seats

Overview

The Nissan Qashqai +2 is like, well the Nissan Qashqai with 2 extra seats. No bonus points for guessing that one. But what the 2 extra seats in the back of the Qashqai +2 do are to move the car into a different class.

The standard Nissan Qashqai is an SUV (sports utility vehicle). Once you add two extra seats at the back, it really begins to be more of an MPV (multi purpose vehicle). Which in layman's terms is a family wagon.

Do the two extra seats make or break the Qashqai? Is it any better with the extra body size and space in the rear? We spent some time with it to find out.

Performance

Packing a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine in the front, you’ll get 102kW to lug the Qashqai Acenta about, which is just about enough. Anything less and the size of the car would get the better of the Qashqai +2. There is a 1.6-litre variant available, the Qashqai Visia which gives 81kW, but the sensible option is the 2.0-litre.

Coupled to a manual gearbox the performance isn’t half bad. The gear changes quickly, and the ‘box feels solid. Gears neatly move in and out of the gate making it quite easy to drive. The clutch is soft and assists with the already good gear changes.

Economy

Claimed consumption is 8.5 L/100km, but around town and over mountains we averaged about 9.5 L/100km, which isn’t bad when you consider the car is quite large, weighing in at 1.3 tons.

On the open road the economy did drop nicely, and the 2.0-litre engine definitely has the capability to be very economical. We achieved a very impressive 7.5 L/100km.

Tech

In the front of the car you’ll find an impressive array of tech. Dual climate control, a radio that plays music in all its variants. USB and Aux ports, and a multifunctional steering wheel.

In the Qashqai +2 Acenta you get cruise control as standard, which is an optional extra on the 1.6 Visia variant.

Rain sensing wipers also come standard on the Acenta, but not on the Visia, and leather seats are optional on both variants.

Comfort

The front seating position is very comfortable. Ergonomically the layout works well. The gear leaver is in a raised position giving it a natural feel when changing gears.

The middle row of seats are spaciously laid out, and provide ample legroom, even for adults. The cloth seats front and back are good quality, and seem durable enough, although the extra leather option would be a nice touch if you don’t have small kids that will ruin them.

The extra 2 seats right at the back are useful, for kids or adults with very short legs. You also lose quite a bit of the ample boot space when you fold the last row of seats up, which might work for shorter journeys when you need to get a few extra people in seats, but it’s not entirely practical for long trips, such as family holidays.

Practicality

The Qashqai +2 scores quite high on the practicality points. The boot space is enormous, giving you 450 litres with the last row of seats folded down.

It also seems like every storage compartment has been sent to McDonald's and has returned having been given the supersize treatment. The glove box is like cave, and even the pockets behind the front seats can accommodate an entire toy box.

The leg room in the middle makes it practical for a couple of adults to get in without any problems or feeling squashed.

Conclusion

The Qashqai +2 is larger than a regular Qashqai, and offers an extra 2 seats at the back, but they might not be quite as practical as you would imagine. You lose some boot space, and you can really only get 2 kids in there.

You’re treated to a good array of tech in the front, and a comfortable seating position and drive. Gear changes are good, and overall drive quality is superb.

If you’re in the market for a biggish SUV, that’s almost an MPV, and need an occasional extra row of seats all for R330,000, then the Nissan Qashqai should get your attention. Used varients of the Qashqai can be found here.